IN THE KITCHEN WITH CHEF MAVRO

When we were invited to take a peek behind the scenes at Mavro, Chef George Mavrothalassitis' King Street restaurant, it took about 3 1/2 seconds to decide that there was no place we would rather be on a Thursday afternoon than in the kitchen with Chef Mavro.

Over the course of a couple of hours, we discovered how — and sometimes why — team Mavro does what it does and were reminded of what we already knew: Chef Mavro is the best chef in the Islands, hands down.

We sampled a few dishes that are featured on his new spring menu, including an incredible tamarind curry that Mavro said is the result of much recipe trial and error, melt-in-your mouth burgundy braised veal cheek, and an exquisite hibiscus pavlova.

Mavro is a gracious host and an engaging conversationalist. Here are the top three things we learned from spending an afternoon with him:

1. He doesn't cook with butter or cream, despite being French. "I'm from Provence," he said, "I don't need cream and butter. Plus, I'm lactose intolerant. End of story!"

2. Chef Mavro doesn't use cookbooks, and said he'll never write a cookbook. "I hate cookbooks," he says. "I don't want to freeze my recipes forever. I don't care what I did last year. Our goal is to create something new every season — recipes are not important. Savoir faire!"

3. He won't cook with fish that have been caught using an underwater cage because he says that method disrupts the ocean's ecosystem, and he wants no part of that.

For Mavro's complete spring menu, visit www.chefmavro.com.

FOOD NEWS

On Aug. 1, renowned chef Bev Gannon will take over the SeaWatch Restaurant at the Wailea Golf Club Gold & Emerald Clubhouse on Maui. The popular open-air eatery, known for its sweeping views of the Wailea Gold Course and offshore islands, will be Gannon's second restaurant in the Wailea Resort. She also leases the popular Joe's Bar & Grill at the Wailea Tennis Club, and owns the Hali'imaile General Store restaurant, also on Maui.

The Hawai'i Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives is selling $10 tickets for a weeklong dining fundraiser titled Tasty Travels. Ticket holders receive a 20 percent discount at more than 21 restaurants on O'ahu from Sunday through May 30, with a portion of all ticket sales benefitting Hawaii Meals on Wheels. For a list of participating restaurants, or to purchase tickets, visit www.nacehawaii.com or call the Wedding Cafe in Ward Warehouse at 591-1005.

Restaurant Izakaya Nonbei is under new ownership, and has a new executive chef. Manager Roger Tasaka said Chef Toshiyuki Watanabe has made a few changes to the menu, but all of the Nonbei faves, such as the deep-fried flounder, are still available.

SMALL BITES

SAIMIN BLISS

When it comes to saimin, everyone has their favorite go-to spot that makes the stuff just right. Our new fave: Kanpai Bar & Grill's take on the dish ($8, 593-9202). Along with char siu and green onion, the folks at Kanpai throw in a few slabs of tender kalbi. The added meat gives the broth extra beefy flavor with a hint of sweet Korean heat. It's saimin times 10.

MASS APPEAL

The Tropics Bar & Grill opened this week at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa, a family-friendly, reasonably priced, beachfront restaurant in the space where the Tropics Showroom used to be. Open for three meals a day, the $11 million project has created a beautifully designed space of glowing wood, furnishings in shades of red and orange and retro paintings of Vargas-like pinup girls. "We built it for the masses," said food and beverage director Brian Keys, "the masses deserve a view of the ocean, too." The food is "Hawaiian modern," and the menu was designed by Maui restaurateur Mark Ellman of Mala and Maui Tacos.

— Wanda A. Adams

TROPICS BAR & GRILL

Hilton Hawaiian Village

2005 Kalia Road

949-4321

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m daily